Wildfire Information: San Mateo & Santa Cruz Counties
Alert on January 26, 2021 - Due to forecast rainfall amounts, there is an increased risk of potential debris flow in areas in, and around, the CZU Lightning Complex burn scar. Evacuation warnings/notices have been sent out for San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties. Please see live interactive Evacuation Map and track road closures to keep safe.
- Santa Cruz County Evacuation Resources:
- Call Center at (831) 454-2181
- Evacuation points:
- San Lorenzo Valley High School 7105 Hwy 9, Felton, CA 95018
- Scotts Valley Community Center 360 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley, CA 95066
- Pacific Elementary School 50 Ocean Street, Davenport, CA 95017
- The Safe Keep program at the Santa Cruz facility housing evacuated animals is located at 1001 Rodriguez Street. All evacuated livestock and farm animals should go to the Quail Hollow Ranch County Park located at 800 Quail Hollow Road in Felton to check in with SCCAS and Equine Evacuation staff. If you need emergency assistance evacuating your animals, please call (831) 708-8998.
- San Mateo County Evacuation Resources:
- The Evacuation Check-in Center will be at Pescadero High School located at 360 Butano Cutoff, Pescadero, CA 94060. The Red Cross will be providing hotel vouchers to the evacuees for the evening or until the danger subsides.
- Please see below for resources from the Red Cross:
CZU August Lightning Complex Wildfire Resources
UPDATED on October 7, 2020 - The deadline for survivors of August wildfires to register with FEMA for individual disaster assistance and apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has been extended to Nov. 21, 2020. Please see here for additional details.
If you need additional assistance in person:
- The Recovery Resource Center at the Kaiser Permanente Arena located on 140 Front Street in Santa Cruz is now closed, but a FEMA Mobile Registration Intake Center serving wildfire survivors in Santa Cruz County will operate through Oct. 21. It is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday in a parking lot at 205 Front St., Santa Cruz, across from the Kaiser Permanente Arena. It is closed Sundays.
If you've already registered with FEMA and need additional assistance from my office, please fill out this PRIVACY RELEASE FORM
- The Red Cross may provide financial assistance to households whose homes were confirmed to have been destroyed or sustained major damage from the 2020 California Wildfires. Households may apply for financial assistance by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, select Option #4 and then follow the prompts to speak to a dedicated call agent to complete an application.
- Tzu Chi is also offering cash to all California fire victims and you can request assistance until 9/30/3030 by calling 408-256-0571 or by registering on the website: www.tzuchi.us
- Additional community resources can be found at Santa Cruz Relief
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
RESOURCES AVAILABLE: On August 22, 2020, FEMA Approval of Major Disaster Declaration for California for CZU August Lightning Complex (August 2020).
-
REGISTERING WITH FEMA: FEMA Fact Sheet on Individual Assistance Programs
-
Individuals in Lake, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo Counties can register with FEMA the following ways:
- Apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Constituents may call the registration phone number at 1-800-621-3362; those who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
-
- LOANS FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA): The SBA established a Virtual Business Recovery Center to provide personalized assistance to business owners and a Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center to help homeowners and renters.
- Did you apply with FEMA?
- To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, survivors must first contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.disasterassistance.gov.
- Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/.
- Need help? Virtual Business Recovery Center and Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center are available as of August 24, 2020 for assistance.
- Mondays – Fridays 9 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- FOCWAssistance@sba.gov
- (916) 735-1500
- The declaration covers Lake, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo counties as a result of the wildfires that began on Aug. 14, 2020.
- Application Filing Deadlines:
- Physical Damage: October 21, 2020
- Economic Injury: May 24, 2021
- Application Filing Deadlines:
U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FACT SHEET - DISASTER LOANS
HOJA DE DATOS DE LA AGENCIA FEDERAL PARA EL DESARROLLO DE LA PEQUEÑA EMPRESAPRÉSTAMOS PARA DESASTRES
- Did you apply with FEMA?
-
ASSISTANCE FOR FAMERS/RANCHERS
-
-
contacts:
Tonya Linares: 831-975-7744 tonya.linares@usda.gov
Sandra Venegas: 831-975-4476 sandra.venegas@usda.gov
-
-
-
MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE: Freddie Mac Single-Family disaster relief policies authorize mortgage servicers to help affected borrowers in eligible disaster areas: those federally-declared Major Disaster Areas where federal individual assistance programs have been extended. A list of these areas can be found on the FEMA’s website. Freddie Mac's standard relief policies, which include forbearance and mortgage modifications.
- Freddie Mac mortgage relief options for affected homeowners in eligible disaster areas include:
- Suspending foreclosures by providing forbearance for up to 12 months;
- Waiving assessments of penalties or late fees against homeowners impacted by an eligible disaster.
- Affected homeowners should immediately contact their mortgage servicer—the company to which they send their monthly mortgage payment.
- See http://www.freddiemac.com/singlefamily/service/natural_disasters.html for a description of Freddie Mac’s Single-Family disaster relief policies.
- Options from Fannie Mae: https://www.fanniemae.com/newsroom/fannie-mae-news/hurricane-sally-west-coast-wildfires-relief-options
- Homeowners and renters can call 877-833-1746 to access Fannie Mae’s Disaster Response Network™* or other available resources.
- Freddie Mac mortgage relief options for affected homeowners in eligible disaster areas include:
- HEALTHCARE OPTIONS: - Consumers who are victims of the wildfires, lose their job (even if they do not receive health care coverage through their employer), or who suffer a significant loss of income, could still be eligible to sign up for coverage under Covered California's special enrollment period between September 1st through December 31, 2020.
-
The current enrollment period for anyone uninsured ends on August 31st.To learn more about your coverage options, visit www.CoveredCA.com or call Covered California at (800) 300-1506. You can chat with a Covered California Service Representative or have a certified enroller call you and help you for free.
-
- TAX EXTENSIONS: Victims of the California wildfires that began August 14 now have until December 15, 2020 to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments with the IRS for any area designated by FEMA as qualifying for individual assistance. Additional details can be found here.
- FORWARDING YOUR MAIL: During the crisis, your mail will be rerouted to a new location if the post office is closed, but after the crisis is over, you may wish to have your mail forwarded or change your address to ensure prompt delivery of your important mail.
- Here is a how to: https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm
- TRACKING YOUR BALLOT: All California voters will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot with a prepaid postage return envelope for the November 3, 2020 General Election. Voters can get critical updates on their ballots through California’s official “Where’s My Ballot?” tracking tool, which will inform the voter when the ballot is mailed to you, received by the elections office, and counted. You can register for this service here.
- For additional information, see: https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/
- PROTECTION FROM EVICTION:Many constituents in the 18th Congressional District are protected until the end of September against evictions due to nonpayment of rent, but only if there has been a loss of income due to COVID-19. You will need to notify your landlord and attach proof, such as a termination notice, cancellation of a contract, or other communication from your employer.
-
In Santa Clara County:
- Tenants who lost income due to COVID-19 are protected against evictions for nonpayment of rent until September 30, or until November 30 in the event that Governor Newsom extends the executive order giving cities and counties the authority to provide eviction relief. Tenants will be required to pay back half of all unpaid rent six months after the moratorium expires, and to pay the other half one year after the moratorium expires. More information is available at https://www.sccgov.org/sites/osh/EvictionMoratorium/Pages/home.aspx.
- San Jose residents should contact the San Jose Rent Stabilization Program at (408) 975-4480 to learn about protections enacted by the City of San Jose. You can read more at https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/housing/covid-19-resources/eviction-moratorium.
-
In San Mateo County:
- Tenants who lost income due to COVID-19 are protected against evictions for nonpayment of rent through August 31 under an ordinance of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. Judge Karesh of the San Mateo County Superior Court has also issued an order suspending enforcement of unlawful detainer (eviction) actions in the county courts until October 2, although the beginning stages of an eviction may occur. More information about San Mateo County's eviction moratorium ordinance is available at https://housing.smcgov.org/covid-19-smc-eviction-regulations.
- The text of Judge Koresh's order is available at https://www.sanmateocourt.org/documents/court_news_and_notices/082520.pdf.
-
In Santa Cruz County:
- The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has extended the County's moratorium on residential and commercial evictions until September 30. Tenants will need to demonstrate a loss of income due to COVID-19. The moratorium does not apply to residents and businesses located in incorporated cities, including the City of Scotts Valley.
-
Many cities within the 18th Congressional District have provided tenant protections of their own. For more information, please contact your city government or a tenant advice organization such as Project Sentinel.
- Know your rights: If your landlord is trying to evict you despite these protections, you should contact a tenant lawyer or a legal aid organization. A list of legal aid organizations in the Bay Area is available on our website here.
-
- OBTAINING NEW RECORDS:
- Driver's License and Vital Records: https://wildfirerecovery.caloes.ca.gov/general-info/record-replacement/
- Social Security Card
- SSA has added a new feature that is intended to make verifying yourself easier so that you can set up the account, It is called ID.me; if you go to www.ssa.gov scroll down and click on the icon that says my social security then instead of clicking on create an account, click on the green button that says sign in with ID.me. This routes to a third party vendor that verifies you and once that occurs, an account can be created without the questionnaire.
- Replacing documentation from USCIS:
USCIS Guidance for Wildfire Victims
- Replacing Naturalization Certificate:
- Note on proof of citizenship: If you were naturalized before October 1, 1991, you may be able to obtain a letter from the U.S. District Court which had jurisdiction over your case. Contact: Clerk of the Court- United States District Court, Northern District of California
- Replacement Green Card:
- Once filed, you can always check the status of the application with the USCIS here. You can check here to see what the normal processing of the application is. Because the processing time can be quite lengthy for a replacement green card, if you need proof of status in the interim, you can obtain an I-551 stamp on your passport which you can obtain from the local USCIS office. Instructions on how you can contact the USCIS for an appointment can be found here: https://www.uscis.gov/contactcenter
- The USCIS has an online or paper filing option to file for an I-90 which is the form to replace the green card. If you are seeking a fee waiver, you will need to file via mail. You can find information on how to file here: https://www.uscis.gov/i-90
- Passport: Please note that the passport agency is experiencing extended delays due to the CODIV-19 closures.
- You can check the status of your application:
- Online:
- Use the Online Passport Status System to check your application status.
- Status updates are available 7-10 business days after you apply or renew.
- Receive automatic email updates on the status of your application by entering your email address after locating your pending application in the Online Passport Status System.
- Phone: Call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793 (TDD/TTY) to speak to a Customer Service Representative (Se habla español) on Mondays-Fridays from 8:00am to 10:00pm Eastern Time (excluding federal holidays).
- Online:
- If you need to travel urgently, reach out to our Palo Alto District Office at 650-323-2984 to request assistance with an emergency appointment at the San Francisco Passport Agency.
- You can check the status of your application:
- FREE PRINTING:
- Santa Cruz Public Library System offers free on-the-go wireless printing during the COVID-19 closures. Print from any internet-connected or WiFi-enabled device, such as a smartphone or laptop, for curbside pickup Monday-Saturday between 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Downtown Branch Library, located at 224 Church Street.
- Please see here for additional details and updates: https://www.santacruzpl.org/pages/curbside-pickup/#wireless-printing
- SCAM WARNING - Don't be scammed or fooled by criminals trying to defraud you while you are trying to recover.
- Beware of Post-Wildfire Scams
- How you can report fraud
-
The Department of Justice encourages you to use the NCDF DISASTER COMPLAINT FORM to report:
- criminal conduct relating to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies;
- hoarding or price gouging of medical items, including respirators, ventilators, disinfecting devices, sterilization services, and other protective equipment like medical gowns, face masks, and gloves; and
- disaster fraud involving any Federal program providing financial assistance to individuals, businesses, or government entities (federal, state, or local).
-
- Resources for victims of fraud
- Free Legal Aid for Fire Victims - A legal hotline is now available for survivors of the fires in Northern California in Butte, Lake, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo Counties (additional counties may be added). Disaster survivors facing legal issues related to the fires may call the hotline at (888) 382-3406. Callers may also leave a message. English and Spanish speaking attorneys will be available. (
see DLAC Joint Press Release
-
Survivors should be aware that there are some limitations on disaster legal services. For example, assistance is not available for cases that will produce a money award. Such matters can be referred for skilled lawyer representation through a State Bar of California certified lawyer referral service in your area.
-
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On August 18, 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to fires raging across the state.San Mateo County Supervisors Proclaim Local Emergency As Crews Battle Wildfires near Loma Mar, South Coast areas
-
FEMA Fire Management Assistance Granted for the CZU Lightning Complex
-
WILDFIRE MAP- MidPen Open Space CZU-SCU Fire Map
-
-
Residents are being urged to “Know Your Zone” by looking up their address on the Debris Flow Hazard Risk Map, available at https://community.zonehaven.com.
-
Visit https://www.scr911.org/general/page/codered or text “SCR911” to 99411 to sign up. Residents should also download the CodeRed app for their smartphones.
-
LOCAL RESOURCES FOR WILDFIRE UPDATES:
- Community Resources: Santa Cruz Relief
- View the most current evacuation information HERE and the searchable map of the zones can be found here.
-
San Mateo County Evacuation Centers
-
Santa Clara County Evacuation Centers
-
General fire information is available online at http://bit.ly/LightningComplex-SCC.
-
-
Santa Cruz County Evacuation Centers (please check here for current capacity and additional resources). You can also call the new hotline for hotel evacuees at 831-454-2181 or e-mail czuhotels@santacruzcounty.us for resources and guidance. Information on how hotel evacuees can apply online can be found here.
-
Red Cross (accommodations for evacuees): 1-866-272-2237
- Assistance for evacuating animals:
-
New shelter for large animals @ The Cow Palace. Contact the San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group for assistance.
- Laura: 650-450-0520
- Robin: 650-450-0516
- Emilie: 650-773-8780
-
LARGE ANIMAL EVAC information from Municipal Advisory Council - contact Half Moon Bay Feed and Fuel: LAURA @ 650-450-0520, ROBIN @ 650-450-0516, EMILIE @ 650-773-8780
-
Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA are providing assistance to pet owners affected by the fires and evacuations in San Mateo County. Evacuated pet owners who need sheltering for their animals can bring them to their shelter at 12 Airport Blvd in San Mateo. Please call 650-340-7022 for questions.
-
If you or anyone you know are in an evacuation zone in Santa Cruz County and need assistance getting out, please call Lift Line (831) 688- 9663. They have vehicles that can accommodate special needs and small pets.You can also try the Santa Cruz County Animal Control at 831-471-1182. Larger livestock owners can call Equine Evacuation at 831-331-6227.
-
-
- Sign up for updates:
- To receive email updates from CAL FIRE CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit can follow this link to opt-in or https://tinyurl.com/czulightning
- To receive emergency alerts, sign up at www.smcalert.info.
- For the latest traffic advisories or restrictions: https://cruz511.org/
- For the latest local air quality information: http://air.mbard.org/ or airnow.gov
- Check for Outages:
- Check on the current Damage Assessment Map - Santa Cruz County
- Check in with Friends:
- To list yourself safe go to www.redcross.org/safeandwell to click "List Yourself as Safe and Well.”
- Donations:
- Community members are advised not to donate durable goods or food during disasters. However, Santa Cruz County welcomes contributions of large, family-sized tents at the Emeline Warehouse, 1082 Emeline in Santa Cruz (rear of the property behind 1080 Emeline Health Clinic).
- Red Cross Donations
CALIFORNIA RESOURCES FOR WILDFIRES:
- CALFIRE
- Ready.gov – Federal Government resources for wildfires
- For information on how to prepare and evacuate for a wildfire, go to: www.readyforwildfire.org.
Questions about how you can prevent smoke from endangering your health?
- Pay attention to local air quality reports. As smoke gets worse, the concentration of particles in the air increases – and so should the steps you take to protect yourself. Air quality reports are available through local news media, your local air agency or on airnow.gov.
- Dust masks aren’t enough! Paper “dust” masks or surgical masks will not protect your lungs from the fine particles in wildfire smoke. Scarves or bandanas (wet or dry) won’t help, either. Particulate masks known as N-95 or P-100 respirators will help, but they must fit well and be used correctly. They are sold at many hardware and home repair stores and online.
- What to do before, during, and after a wildfire: http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/index.asp